Cartier Enamel Writing Set from Melba Collection
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A boxed guilloche enamel silver gilt writing set, Cartier, circa 1920 comprising a pen rest, a nib holder, a double ended eraser, a pencil and a pen knife, the pen rest of tapering oblong form, with white enamel jeweling to the edge, the blue guilloche enamel bearing a gilt wreath, bearing French assay mark and 1133 to verso, the amber coloured stem of the nib holder mounted with a collar of blue guilloche enamel with gilt highlights, edged with white enamel beading, the double ended eraser mounted with a central rectangular blue and white guilloche collar, the blue guilloche pencil of flattened oval form, with gilt leaf decoration and white jewelled borders to either end, the silver gilt cap lifting off to reveal the pencil to the interior, bearing French assay mark and marked Cartier Paris, the steel bladed pen knife with blue tapering guilloche enamel handle highlighted with enamel jewelling and gilt wreaths, contained in a gold tooled black Morocco leather silk and velvet lined box, marked to the interior of the lid Cartier 13 Rue de la Paix, London 4 New Burlington Street, the pen rest 20 mm high, 47 mm long, 18 mm wide, the nib holder 148 mm long, the eraser 11 mm long, the pencil 102 mm long, the pen knife 180 mm long, the box 220 mm x 95 mm. Property from the Collection of Dame Nellie Melba GBE
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- Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
- Verso - Verso is the "back" side of a sheet of paper, art work, coin or medal. The front side is "recto".
- Assay / Assayed - Assaying is the testing of a metal, most commonly silver and gold to determine its ingredients and quality. In Britain, once an item of silver or gold has been assayed, a mark is stamped on it, certifying its purity. Known as hallmark, it derives its name from the Guild Hall of the Goldsmiths' Company, who recieved its Charter in 1327 giving it the power to assay and mark articles of gold and silver.
- Guilloche - A form of classical decoration consisting of a repeating ornament of interlacing curved bands, sometimes forming circles, and further decorated with rosettes or other flower forms.
The name is derived from the inventor, French engineer Guillot, who invented a mechanical method of inscribing fine repeating patterns on to metallic surfaces.
On enamelled items with guilloche decoration, the surface is firstly engraved with the repeating pattern, and then covered with several layers of enamel, each of which is fired.
Where the item has not been enamelled the form of decoration is usually called "engine turned".
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